Is it worth saving brick streets?

     Depending on what the City of Monticello decides, it could cost more than half a million dollars to reconstruct just two blocks of N. Chestnut Street.

     The city’s engineer at Snyder & Associates presented the Monticello City Council with two cost estimates for N. Chestnut between W. Second and W. Third streets. A reminder: N. Chestnut is a brick street.

     The first option at $415,000 includes reconstruction with concrete intersections, replacing the brick pavers, maintain current street width, replacement of sidewalk, replacement of water main, and the addition of subdrain.

     The second option at $550,000 includes reconstruction with concrete intersections, concrete curb and gutter, salvage and reinstall the brick pavers over a concrete base, maintain current street width, replacement of sidewalk, replacement of water main, and the addition of subdrain.

     The cost for decorative lighting and converting the utilities from overhead to underground are not included in either cost estimate.

     “Some planning-level design work has already been done,” noted Engineer Patrick Schwickerath. “We anticipate a brick replacement to be done by hand versus by machine because of the narrow width of the street.” This would also result in less contractor mobilization costs.

     Schwickerath went on to say that the soil in Monticello generally does not support a brick street, based on Snyder & Associates’ experience in replacing brick streets. This is the reason for including subdrain in both cost estimates.

     “It helps keep it (the street) more solid,” explained Schwickerath.

     Council member Tom Yeoman inquired as to whether they could use permeable concrete underneath the brick pavers. Schwickerath said with sand on top of the concrete, it would cause the permeable concrete to plug up.

     Council member Dave Goedken asked about the need to remove trees which was required for the N. Sycamore Street Reconstruction Project.

     “These are all small trees,” noted Goedken of those along N. Chestnut. “They’re not the size they were on Sycamore.”

     Schwickerath said removal of trees is something they would have to look at in comparison to how close they are to the installation of a new curb and gutter. “We might get into the roots again,” he said as the basis for removing trees on Sycamore.

     Mayor Brian Wolken proposed the question as to whether the brick street is needed or if it just adds to the character of the neighborhood.

     “I can’t justify half a million dollars for one block,” he said. “It’s not a cost savings; it’s a cost expense.”

     One cost-saving measure Schwickerath outlined in his letter to the city included removing, cleaning, and stockpiling the existing brick pavers as a separate project from the street reconstruction project.

     “This block needs to be addressed,” voiced Goedken of the condition of the road.

     City Administrator Doug Herman said six to seven years ago, the city sent a survey to residents on Chestnut Street. “The great majority of them like the bricks,” he shared. “A majority was willing to pay extra to keep them.”

     Herman also noted that another cost-savings might be taking the bricks out by volunteers or a work crew versus the contractor.

     “They would get removed under our supervision,” he said, “and result in a significant cost savings.”

     Schwickerath added that additional savings could be eliminating the storm sewer portion of the project.

     Schwickerath did urge the council to make a decision sooner rather than later to get the project out by February/March with a letting in the spring. Construction would take place toward the end of 2021.